Language Bridge
by sve-aph
Summary: We take the same elevator every day and due to a misunderstanding I assumed you didn't speak English and I've been talking to my friend about how hot you are for three weeks and apparently my friends has known from the start but you agreed not to tell me because you both think it's hilarious what the f-
**Heyo I'm kinda back. This is an old drabble I wrote from a prompt.**

 **"-speech-" means that it's not spoken in English. It probably would've been easier to do that the other way around but :/ oh well**

 **Anyways, pre-relationship fluff and awkwardness, enjoy.**

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Tino walked into the building with a slight skip to his step. He had been allotted an entire hour for lunch, which meant that he had time for dessert. Returning to his work building wasn't as hard when the sun was shining and he could still feel sugar dissolving on his tongue.

Eduard was waiting for him in the nice, air-conditioned lobby, and Tino greeted his friend with a smile. Eduard worked on the tech team at the company, so his hours were extensive but he often had free time in between tasks.

Tino himself was a translator. Ever since the Swedish and Finnish branches merged, there had been a strange mix of people who spoke from one to three languages. Tino's job was to bridge that gap. He was natively a Finnish speaker, but he was also fluent in Swedish, English, French, German, and Russian.

The two friends entered the elevator and Tino grinned when he saw a familiar, intimidating man already waiting in the elevator.

"-Eduaaaard do you _see_ him?-"

"-Tino, _I know_. You've only told me about him every day for the past three weeks. In front of him, no less.-"

"-Well, I mean, it's okay. He doesn't speak Finnish. He doesn't know what I'm saying.-"

"-Okay, sure, but it's still weird.-"

"-But Eduaaaaard he's _so hot_.-"

"-I'm sure he is.-"

"-Cause he's got those _eyes_ and you know I used to be so scared of him but now I'm not and he's so _hot_ and he's so tall and have you seen his hands? God, I love his hands. He must be so good in bed.-"

"-Tino! I don't want to know!-"

"-But he's just so _big_ and I bet he could just wrap me up in his arms. He's probably pretty cuddly, you know. I know he doesn't look like it, but I bet he is.-" Neither of them seemed to notice the pink tinge to the tallest man's cheeks.

"-Tino, you don't even know his name.-"

"-Sure I do! It's… uh… something Swedish? Okay, maybe I don't. But I don't need to know his name! I know that he's hot and cute and totally my type and one of these days I'll muster the courage to ask him out.-"

"-Whatever you say, Tino.-" Nobody spoke as the three rose to the fifth floor. Tino and Eduard exited, and the third man continued going up.

The tech team and the translation personnel had a shared floor to themselves in the middle of the ten story building, since their jobs all varied on the day and time. As soon as the elevator doors were closed, Tino started gushing.

"-But Eduaaaaard I'm a coward and I'm never going to ask him out and I'm just going to pine over him forever!-"

"-Tino, it's only been three weeks.-"

"-Three weeks is a long time.-"

"-Just don't worry about it! I'm sure you'll be fine. Just give it some time.-"

"-But I'm impatient!-"

"-Oh trust me, _I know_.-"

The man Tino was so interested _did_ speak Finnish, and Eduard knew it. His name was Berwald Oxenstierna, and he was CEO of the merged company. How Tino didn't know this, Eduard wasn't sure. Berwald spoke both Swedish and Finnish, but only limited English. Eduard spoke Finnish and English, and limited Swedish.

They had called Tino to translate more technical terms for them once when Eduard was setting up Berwald's computer in the new building. Eduard was sure this was why Tino assumed that Berwald didn't speak Finnish. After a while, he figured it was too entertaining to tell him.

"Eduard!" Oh, and there was Berwald again. Eduard hadn't paid any attention to who had called him.

"-Hello Mr. Oxenstierna, how are you?-" After their first meeting, Eduard and Berwald typically conversed in Finnish. That is, unless Tino was around to hear.

"-Oh. I'm fine. I just wanted to ask—"

"-If Tino is serious about you, yes I know, and the answer is yes. I know he sounds like a thirteen year old girl in the clutches of puberty, but trust me, he really likes you. Of course, this would be easier determined if you would just _ask him out_.-"

"-But… what if he changes his mind?-"

"-You'll never find out unless _you_ ask _him_. He's too scared to ask you. Just do it!-"

"-Are you sure?-"

"-Yes! And make sure you wait to hear his answer before running away. Don't assume silence means no. Also, I dare you to ask him in Finnish.-" Berwald's lips quirked into a half smile, revealing a hint of the mischievous nature Eduard had guessed at. He'd need it to deal with Tino.

"Uh, Mr.Väinämöien, can I have a moment?" Tino stopped in the hallway, mortified. The guy he had been crushing on for almost a month was finally talking to him, and he even knew his _name_. Tino didn't think anyone knew his last name. But the worst part was that Tino didn't know the guy's name. At all.

"U-uh sure! And you can talk to me in Swedish, you know that! I know it has to be easier for you than English!" Tino exclaimed, wondering how he could figure out the man's name without offending him.

"-I don't think that'll be necessary.-" And Tino stared, because the man was speaking _Finnish_. Which meant that he spoke Finnish. Which meant that for the past three weeks, Tino had been professing his infatuation for a guy he didn't know _and he understood every word._

Berwald could see the fight or flight instinct starting to trigger in the smaller man, so he pressed on before the other could reply.

"-I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to get coffee or something on Friday.-"

Tino was panicking. He was panicking and he couldn't breathe and he couldn't meet the other man's eyes and he couldn't move and he couldn't speak and

"-It's okay if you don't want to, I just got the impression that…-"

"-No!-" and Tino's brain had finally caught up with the moment. "-I do, I really do! I just… isn't it against company policy to date other employees?-"

"-Well, yes, but I don't think I would call myself an _employee_. More of an… _employer_.-" Berwald explained carefully.

"-M-mr. Oxenstierna?-" Berwald nodded slowly, wondering how Tino didn't know that from the beginning. "I-I have to go!" and Tino was out of there in a flash. Berwald smiled. He wasn't about to give up.

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 **pls review I am desperate and lonely**


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